On Thursday, January 9, 2025, the Jerusalem Patriarchate held a solemn liturgy in honor of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon. The service took place at the Monastery of Saint Stephen, built on the site where the saint was stoned to death, as reported by the Jerusalem Patriarchate’s website. The liturgy was led by His Eminence Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Stephen was one of the first seven deacons chosen by the apostles to ensure the fair distribution of aid among believers (Acts 6:1–6). His name, derived from the Greek word Στέφανος (meaning “crown”), reflects his Greek heritage, which likely contributed to his selection for ministry among Hellenistic Christians.

Stephen actively preached the Word of God, performed miracles, and displayed signs of divine power. His ministry provoked opposition from members of the synagogue, who accused him of blasphemy against God and the Mosaic Law. At his trial before the Sanhedrin, Stephen delivered a lengthy speech recounting Israel’s history, beginning with Abraham, and highlighted the rejection of prophets, including Jesus Christ. His assertion that God does not dwell in man-made temples (Acts 7:48–50) incited outrage among his listeners.

Saint Stephen became the first martyr for his faith in Christ. As recounted in Acts (7:55–60), during his stoning, he saw the heavens open and Christ standing at the right hand of God. Before his death, Stephen prayed for his executioners, asking the Lord not to hold their sin against them. His martyrdom marked the beginning of persecution against Christians in Jerusalem.

The modern Orthodox Monastery of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr was built by Archbishop Arkadios of Cyprus, a monk of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on the ruins of an ancient church. The monastery, which belongs to the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, is located outside Jerusalem’s eastern wall, near Gethsemane.

Saint Stephen is venerated in both Orthodox and Catholic traditions. Several sites in Jerusalem are associated with his memory. For example, the Lion’s Gate, which leads to the Orthodox monastery, is also known as Stephen’s Gate according to Byzantine tradition, which associates the site of his martyrdom with the Valley of Josaphat.

In another part of the city stands the Basilica of Saint Stephen, built in the 5th century by Byzantine Empress Eudocia. Today, the Dominican Monastery Church of Saint Stephen occupies this site. Additionally, part of the saint’s relics is said to be housed in a martyrium on the Mount of Olives, within a Catholic monastery founded in 435 by Saint Melania the Younger.